Poppen, Mary Alice 89 April 16, 1924 July 23, 2013 Our beloved Mother passed with her family by her side. Mary was raised in Wolsey, S.D., where she stood atop galloping bareback horses while racing her sister across the family farm. At the age of 19, Mary and a girlfriend boldly ventured to San Diego for the time she cherished building WWII military aircraft as a "Rosie the Riveter". Once back in South Dakota, Mary attended a dance where she stole the heart of George Poppen. They married and began raising children, Sandy, Doug, Randy, Monte and Kevin. Their love for each other grew for the next 57 years until George's passing in 2002. The couple started their family on the farm, but following a hailstorm that destroyed their crop, they auctioned off the farm and moved west to Oregon. As devout Lutherans, the couple quickly made friends in the church who helped them find work. Mary Alice spent more than two decades working in the District Attorney's office as the Chief Legal Secretary. Mary was the center of a tight-knit extended family whom she kept close by serving delicious turkey dinners, fried shrimp and homemade cookies to her 12 grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and George's several siblings who had followed George and Mary's lead in moving west from South Dakota. Mary's caring nature and deep love of animals led her to adopting several stray cats into their home. Mary's joyful personality, quick wit and boundless optimism will be missed by all who knew her. In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted in her name for the Trinity Lutheran youth group and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Services will be held at 10 a.m., on Monday, July 29, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 16000 S. Henrici Rd., Oregon City.